1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate to an operating ability monitoring system for monitoring the operating ability of a vehicle driver or machine operator to operate a vehicle or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
The driver of a vehicle as a moving machine should, to the extent possible, be able to drive—or, in more general terms, be able to operate—the vehicle so as to not pose a risk to himself or third parties. It is possible for the driver of a vehicle, just like an operator of a machine, to lose his operating ability, such as due to a dizzy spell, fatigue, or other causes.
Solutions described in the past for influencing the vehicle by electronic implants have been limited to the evaluation of rhythmological or similar physiological parameters and a direct vehicle influence derived therefrom. Frequently, however, the genesis of a temporary driving ability disorder is unknown and cannot be reliably detected by the implant indicated for the patient. A typical example is an implantable EKG recorder, which is used to diagnose syncopes. Although such a recorder would be able to detect a state of driving inability based on a cardiac rhythm analysis, it is known that more than half of syncopes are not rhythm-related [K. Seidl et al.: Initial experience with implantable loop recorders, Europace, Vol. 2, July 2000], which is to say, they have different causes and can therefore not be detected by the implants mentioned above.